NBA’s Trail Blazers ask to speak to Dawn Staley for head coaching position

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - South Carolina women’s head basketball coach Dawn Staley is on the radar for another head coaching job, this time in the NBA.

A spokesperson with the Gamecocks athletic department confirmed on Saturday night that the Portland Trail Blazers have asked for permission to speak to Staley about their head coaching position.

The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Staley was one of 5 early candidates the team is targeting along with Spurs assistant Becky Hammon.

Either woman would be the league’s first full time female head coach if they were to get the job.

Staley has been in Columbia for 13 seasons coaching South Carolina to 331 wins, 2 trips to the Final Four and 1 national championship. They also ended the 2019-20 season as the top ranked team in the country.